Game apparatus



Jan. 8, 1963 L. s. OLSON 3,072,407

GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 2, 1959 f: I 5W3, w/- if, ,0

FIG. 2 3

INVENTOR LEA S. OLSON 32 2O 22 BY 0.01am

FIG 4- ATTORNEY States 'atent Patented Jan. 8, 1963 3,072,407 GAME APPARATUS Lea S. Olson, 707 Ave. A, Bismarck, N. Dak. Filed Nov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,262 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-130) This invention relates to a game apparatus particularly adapted for use by two players in playing the game of ticktacktoe.

It is an object of this invention to provide game playing apparatus for playing the game of ticktacktoe.

It is another object to provide such apparatus particularly adapted for use by small children and by handicapped and blind persons.

It is also an object to provide such apparatus having a playing surface upon which the nine playing compartments are respectively physically separated by two pairs of raised parallel ridges extending upwardly from the playing surface and intersecting at generally right angles.

It is a further object to provide such apparatus having two sets of differently formed playing pieces for use respectively by each of the players of the game.

It is an additional object to provide a game playing apparatus for use by two players or two teams of players having two sets of playing pieces having respectively the shape of the letters and X, and a playing surface having nine physically separated playing compartments arranged in three parallel rows into which the playing pieces are placed by each player in his turn, and which are readily removable when the game is over.

It is a further object to provide such game apparatus having a scoreboard incorporated therein for keeping score of the number of ticktacktoe games won by each of the players or teams of players and the games won by neither of them.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus embodying my invention showing one of each of the two sets of playing pieces placed to the side thereof;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the playing board taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the playing board taken along the line 33 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of one of the scorekeeping pegs and a top view of one of each of the two different playing pieces.

In the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing a game board, designated generally by the number 10, is provided having a generally flat bottom adapted to rest upon a table top and an upper surface comprising a generally flat horizontal playing surface 12 and a scoreboard 14. The playing surface 12 is divided into 9 playing compartments 16 by two pairs of spaced apart parallel ridges, designated respectively as 16a and 16b, intersecting at respective intermediate portions thereof as shown, to provide three parallel rows of playing compartments 16 in both transverse and longitudinal directions.

In the form illustrated, the ridges 16a and 16b are generally equal in length and height and are positioned to intersect so that each of said ridges is divided into three equal sections, the central section of which forms one of the walls defining a central compartment and separating said central compartment 16a from the exterior compartments.

Two sets of five playing pieces are provided, designed to be used respectively by each of tWo opponents playing a game upon the board 12. Pieces of one of said sets, designated as 20, are shaped into the letter O. The other set contains five playing pieces, designated as 22, each having the shape of the letter X. In the form illustrated, the playing pieces 20 and 22 are thicker in vertical dimension than the height of the ridges 16a and 16b to facilitate manipulation thereof by the players.

In playing ticktacktoe with the game apparatus, one of the sets of playing pieces is assigned respectively to each of two opponents, who in turn places one of his playing pieces into one of the playing compartments not previously occupied. The game is won by the first player to align three of his playing pieces in a row, either transversely, longitudinally or diagonally. When one of the players has placed five playing pieces upon the board, he will have won the game or will have blocked all possible rows from being filled in by his opponent. If neither player has been able to place three of his playing pieces in a row, the game is then won by the cat.

In the form of the invention illustrated, the scoreboard 14 is extended upwardly from the playing surface 12 and has a rounded surface extending to one edge of the board 10 to permit easy reading of the score by the players and kibitzers.

The scoreboard 14 is divided into three columns 14a for keeping score respectively of the games that have been won by each of the opponents and the games won by the cat. Each of the columns 14a has a plurality of cylindrical holes 30 of similar diameter extending an equal distance into the playing board and normal to the surface of the scoreboard.

A generally cylindrical scoreke-eping peg 32 of slightly smaller diameter than the holes 30 is provided for each of the scorekeeping columns. The pegs 32 are longer than the depth of the holes 30 and when inserted into the holes protrude therefrom above the surface of the scoreboard. The protruding portion of each of the pegs 32 is thickened in diameter for easy handling by the players. Each hole in the scoreboard corresponds to a certain number of games which is easily ascertained by counting the number of holes to the left and above each hole.

It will be seen that I have provided a game apparatus which may easily be used by small children and by persons with crippled hands or who are totally blind.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which, generally stated, consists in the matter set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

Game apparatus particularly constructed and arranged for playing and scoring the game of ticktacktoe comprising a unitary playing and scoring board divided into two sections, a playing section and a scoring section, said playing section having a generally flat playing surface with two pairs of raised ridges extending upwardly from the surface thereof, the ridges of each pair being spaced apart and 3 disposed to intersect the ridges of the other pair at right the games won by the respective players as Well as the angles to form raised separators for three parallel rows of games Won by the cat.

playing spaces defined thereby, two sets of playing pieces, one set being in the shape of the letter O, the other set References {med m tbs file of thls Patent being in the shape of the letter X, the letters of each set 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS being thicker than the depth of the ridges and being smaller in outside dimensions than said playing spaces to 1 2 Henmk g fit therewithin, said scoring section being elevated from 2313473 3 265 55; 1943 the playing surface and being provided with three indir vidual scoring areas with at least one row of holes in each 10 FOREIGN PATENTS area, and three pegs insertable into said holes to indicate 667,737 Great Britain Mar. 5, 1952 

